Turkey to hold coronavirus video call with 9 countries

By Seval Ocak Adiyaman

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey announced it would begin sharing information on how to deal with the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak with nine countries including Iran via online communication applications Skype and Zoom.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said the countries' medical boards would start efforts on Wednesday to organize video conferences on such applications as Skype and Zoom with Turkey on its current precautions to keep the disease outside the country's borders.

At least nine countries requested such meetings to learn about Turkey's approaches to protect against the coronavirus, Koca added, while speaking to reporters in the country's parliament.

No coronavirus cases have yet been confirmed in Turkey.

A total of 92 people have died from the virus in Iran, with 2,922 infections, according to the country's health ministry.

The country of origin of the infection, China reported almost 3,000 deaths, according to the country's National Health Commission.

The global death toll from the virus is over 3,000, with more than 89,000 infected.

The World Health Organization, which already declared the outbreak an international health emergency, updated the global risk level to "very high."

* Writing by Havva Kara Aydin